The chairman said the casino has been redesigned to fit in architecturally with its surroundings, namely University of Phoenix Stadium. It is currently drawn at 55,000 square feet, which is about a third of the original size. Tribal leaders say it could grow in future phases.(Photo: Hnedak Bobo Group)

The Glendale City Council voted to oppose a bill moving through Congress that would block the Tohono O'odham Nation from building a casino near the Westgate Entertainment District.

The 4-3 vote signifies a major shift for a city embroiled in lawsuits with the tribe and long opposed to even talking to the tribe's leaders. The Southern Arizona-based tribe announced plans in 2009 to build a casino on a county island near 95th and Northern Avenues.

City leaders have asserted that the operation would compete with Westgate and surrounding businesses, drain sales-tax revenue and prompt more demand for city services. But a council majority recently directed Glendale staff to begin negotiating with the tribe, as four council members consider a casino and resort a potential boon for the economy.

Council members Norma Alvarez, Ian Hugh, Gary Sherwood and Sam Chavira this week voted to oppose legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz. Mayor Jerry Weiers and council members Yvonne Knaack and Manny Martinez voted against opposing the measure.

Franks' bill, House Resolution 1410, would block casinos from opening on land within metro Phoenix designated as reservation territory after April 2013. Although the Department of Interior initially agreed to stamp the Tohono O'odham's West Valley land as reservation, a lawsuit has stalled the final ruling. Thus, Franks' bill would halt the Tohono O'odham's plans.

A rendering of the Tohono O’odham casino to be located near Loop 101 and Northern Avenue. Tohono O’odham

The chairman said the casino has been redesigned to fit in architecturally with its surroundings, namely University of Phoenix Stadium. It is currently drawn at 55,000 square feet, which is about a third of the original size. Tribal leaders say it could grow in future phases. Hnedak Bobo Group

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The bill would enforce a heavily-litigated interpretation of a 2002 voter-backed gaming compact. Under the agreement, Arizona tribes agreed to limit the number of casinos across the state in exchange for exclusive rights to open gaming facilities. The state, the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community say the compact capped the number of Phoenix-area casinos, although the agreement documents no prohibition in writing.

They sued the Tohono O'odham after leaders announced their casino plans, saying that another casino would break the compact and unleash a flurry of corporate gambling establishments that would crush tribes' revenues. However, a federal judge ruled the Tohono O'dham Nation's plans would not violate the compact.

Opponents took their case to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed Franks' bill and the measure now awaits consideration from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers builds Painted Rock Dam on Gila River to provide flood protection for farmers and Yuma. Bureau of Indian Affairs and Corps assure Tohono O'odham Nation the project would not harm tribe land.

Late 1970s and early 1980s

Flooding devastates the community

About 10,000 acres of Tohono
O'odham land weathers constant flooding for months at a time. Flooding
destroys farm lands and leaves many members impoverished.

1986

Getty Images

The tribe sells land

Congress passes a law that allows the Tohono O'odham Nation to sell 9,880 to government for $30 million and seek equivalent amount of land as reservation space as long as land is not within corporate limits of a town.

1988

Indian Gaming Regulatory Act

The federal government enacts the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, setting the framework that governs Indian gaming nationwide.

2002

Getty Images

Indian Country is granted exclusive rights

Voters approve compact between Arizona and Indian tribes that limits the number of casinos and gaming devices in the state. The Agreement gives Indian Country exclusive rights to Arizona gambling industry.

2003

The Republic

Rainier Resources acquires land near Westgate

Rainier Resources LLC begins buying county island land at 95th and Northern avenues on behalf of Tohono O'odham.

2009

Courtesy of Hnedak Bobo Group

The Tohono O'odham Nation announces casino plans

Tohono O'odham announces plans to build a casino and resort, shocking local leaders, state and other Valley tribes. Glendale takes adversarial stance.

The Western Regional Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs announces that the tribe's West Valley land meets requirements for reservation status.

July 2010

Department of Interior

Land becomes reservation territory

Department of Interior agrees to designate Tohono O'odham land as reservation
territory, based on 1986 law. Tribes may only operate casinos on
reservations.

November 2010

The Republic

Gila River Indian Community, Glendale sue

Gila River Indian Community sues Interior, saying department did not consider
whether land was eligible for gaming. Glendale joins, arguing the land should
not be taken into trust because it is surrounded by the city. Case puts
reservation transaction on hold.

State, the Gila River Indian Community and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community sue Tohono O'odham, saying tribe's plans for casino violate 2002
compact. They say agreement implicitly capped number of metro-Phoenix casinos.
Both tribes own casinos in Valley.

U.S. House passes legislation, sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Glendale, that
would block tribe's casino. The measure, HR1410, would ban tribes that take land
into the reservation after April 2013 from opening gambling sites. Bill would
expire in 2027.

(Michigan sued the Bay Mills Indian Community for refusing to close a casino the
tribe built without asking the Interior or the National Indian Gaming
Commission. The tribe, however, raised sovereign immunity. Indian law experts
say the Supreme Court may opt to take away sovereign immunity altogether, which
may impact the lawsuit between the Arizona and the Tohono O'odham.)

March 2014

Stacey Davis/12News

Glendale opens negotiations

Glendale opens negotiations with Tohono O'odham to decipher what types of resources the tribe may need to operate its facility. City Council also opposes HR1410, but remains opposed to casino.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case between a Michigan tribe and that state. The decision upheld tribal sovereign immunity, which protects tribes from getting sued in most cases.

July 3, 2014

The Tohono O'odham Nation's land is taken into trust

The U.S. Department of the Interior reaffirms its decision that the tribe's land at 95th and Northern avenues is not within Glendale's city boundaries and took the land into trust. Therefore, the 54-acre parcel became part of the Tohono O'odham Reservation, on which the tribe can build anything.

July 15, 2014

Glendale supports casino plans

In a major shift, a divided Glendale City Council votes to support the Tohono O'odham Nation casino. Glendale's new position comes after five years of fierce objections by the city.

U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona introduce a bill to prohibit any new casinos in metropolitan Phoenix. The legislation is a companion bill to U.S. House Bill 1410, which was introduced by Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona and approved by the House in September.

Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake and Reps. Trent Franks and Paul Gosar reintroduce legislation, the Keep the Promise Act, to block any new casinos in metro Phoenix.

February 2015

Steel framing begins

Steel framing begins on an interim casino.

April 2015

Governor, gaming agency oppose casino

Gov. Doug Ducey, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Arizona Department of Gaming Director Daniel Bergin say the state will not allow the Tohono O'odham Nation's West Valley casino to open because the state alleges the tribe committed fraud in negotiating its 2002 gaming compact.

June 22, 2015

Tribe files lawsuit

The Tohono O'odham Nation filed a lawsuit in federal court asking for an injunction that would allow the casino to open later this year. The suit names as defendants Gov. Doug Ducey, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Arizona Department of Gaming Director Daniel Bergin.